Madden NFL 25 – Expert Tips – Ways to Defend the Option

The option is quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to move the ball in Madden NFL 25. We’ve shown you how to run the option, and in this section we show you how to stop it.

5 ENGAGE EIGHT

ENGAGE EIGHT FROM ANY FORMATION WILL BE EFFECTIVE, BUT WE RECOMMEND IT FROM THE 4-4 OR 4-3.

This is an extremely high-risk, high-reward defense. If you are looking to stop your opponent completely, then calling Engage Eight will do the trick. Expect to get beaten by any type of pass if your opponent expects it’s coming. We wanted to give you this option not as an every-down defense against the option, but as a last-ditch effort in stopping it. If you are in a pinch use this play.

4 USER-DEFEND AND COMMIT

DON’T JUST SIT BACK AND HOPE TO STOP THE OPTION. ATTACK IT.

User-defending and committing towards the option means to grab hold of the MLB or a deep safety and to attack the QB from the play side. This can be tricky because you have to dodge blockers to make a play on the QB. User-control ability is extremely important here, so make sure that you only attempt this if you are confident with yours. Remember that if your opponent throws a play action towards you that you must recover back into your coverage assignment.

3 SEND SIX DEFENDERS

SENDING SIX DEFENDERS IS MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN CALLING ENGAGE EIGHT BUT IS AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH TO DISRUPT THE OPTION.

This can be done from any formation and any play in the game. The only rule is to make sure you send six defenders, excluding your user defender. You will want to clean up with your user defender and try to make a play on the ball carrier. Sit back and let your opponent decide who to give the ball to and then attack. Don’t commit too early, as you will take yourself out of the play by getting picked up by blockers.

2 COMMIT TO HB

THIS MEANS THAT YOU ARE FORCING THE QB TO KEEP THE BALL.

If you are facing a team with a QB you don’t fear, then it’s a good idea to use your pre-snap tools to select Commit to HB. This means that your defense will always give your opponent the option to run with the QB, but it will take away the option to hand off to the HB. Decide early in the game what your game plan is and consider changing it throughout the game so that your opponent doesn’t get comfortable with the same read. The indicator for this will be your DE crashing in towards the snap of the ball.

1 COMMIT TO QB

THIS MEANS THAT YOU ARE FORCING THE HB TO TAKE THE BALL.

A general rule of thumb when facing the option in Madden NFL 25 is that your opponent wants to run the ball with the QB. Don’t allow it. Using your pre-snap adjustments, select Commit to QB, which will make your defense always contain the QB. Your indicator for this will be your DE standing up at the snap of the ball. If your opponent keeps the ball with the QB he will get crushed by the DE. This forces the handoff to the HB, and we can anticipate making a play on the ball carrier in the open field. Over the course of time this is without a doubt the best way to not only stop the option, but also to frustrate your opponents because they won’t be able to do what they want to when running the option.

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